June 11, 2026.

This article, authored by Jeanette Süß and published by Internationale Politik Quarterly and the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), provides an analysis of the evolution of France’s position on EU enlargement, marked by a shift from a cautious approach to a recognition of its geopolitical implications. While Paris now considers the integration of the Western Balkans, Moldova, and more generally, Ukraine to be a strategic issue, its commitment remains conditional on adherence to the accession process and prior reforms within the European Union.

The analysis points out, however, that this progress remains unstable due to the lack of strong political initiatives and limited support from the French Society. Only 43 percent of French people support enlargement, the lowest figure in the entire EU, alongside the Czech Republic. While recent Franco-German proposals reflect a desire to restart the debate on enlargement, legal uncertainties, differences over Ukraine’s status and internal political issues, particularly the prospect of national ratification, continue to restrain France’s capacity to exercise effective leadership on this issue.

This spring-summer 2026 series of articles, published in collaboration between Internationale Politik Quarterly and the DGAP’s Europe Center, focuses on the EU’s enlargement and reform process. You can find the article France and EU Enlargement: From Strategic Hesitation to a Geopolitical Shift, here.